1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display unit, and more particularly, it relates to a liquid crystal display unit suited for combination with a handy type electronic game device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A liquid crystal display unit is applied, for example, to a handy type electronic game device. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a typical example of a conventional handy type electronic game device. In the drawing, a handy type electronic game device 1 comprises a housing 2 which is provided in a central portion of its upper face with a liquid crystal display panel 3. The housing 2 is further provided with game mode switches 6 to 8 for selecting game mode and character moving, and varying switches 4 and 5 for moving or varying predetermined characters displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 3 by the use of electronic circuitry to play a game.
The electronic game device 1 as shown in FIG. 1, is provided with a reflection panel to be in close contact with the lower surface of the liquid crystal display panel. Therefore, incident light from above the liquid crystal display panel 3 is reflected by the reflection panel provided under the same. Thus, the user of the game device 1 observes the display content displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 3 by the reflected light as shown by an arrow in FIG. 1.
However, since the display content is shown by the reflected light, the user observes the display content, i.e., the characters by way of shadows of the light. Thus, the display content might be indistinct depending on the circumambient lightness and the angle of view, and the characters cannot be clearly colored.
Therefore, the present applicant has already proposed a liquid crystal display unit, which has overcome the aforementioned disadvantages so that the display content can be readily observed and the characters can be clearly expressed in colors.
FIG. 2 shows an example of such a liquid crystal display unit already proposed by the present applicant, which is applied to a desk type electronic game device. Referring to FIG. 2, a desk type electronic game device 10 comprises a liquid crystal display panel 15 which is disposed in a substantially horizontal manner for facilitating transmission of the light from above and a mirror 16 provided in an oblique portion under the liquid crystal display panel 15 so as to reflect the light transmitted through the liquid crystal display panel 15 to a forward direction. A housing 11 of the desk type electronic game device 10 is provided on the top surface thereof with a light receiving window 12 for receiving the light from above and an opening 13 for showing the display content to the user in front of the device. The light receiving window 12 is fitted with a semitransparent member such as a frosted glass member 14, under which the liquid crystal display panel 15 is disposed as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2 as directly not visible by provision of the frosted glass member 14. Further provided under the liquid crystal display panel 15 is the mirror 16, which is so arranged in a predetermined space that the surface thereof is inclined at a predetermined angle to face both the liquid crystal display panel 15 and the opening 13. Thus, the display content (characters) present on the liquid crystal display panel 15 is reflected on the mirror 16 by the light B transmitted through the liquid crystal display panel 15, to be observed by the user in front of the device through the liquid crystal display panel 15 and through the opening 13.
However, since such a liquid crystal display unit as shown in FIG. 2 is structured such that in which the light transmitted through the liquid crystal display panel 15 is reflected by the mirror 16 to be observed, the unit involves the following disadvantage. More specifically, the liquid crystal display panel 15 and the mirror 16 must be arranged at a predetermined angle, which requires a predetermined space defined therebetween and thus makes inevitably the entire device relatively large-sized. Therefore, although the liquid crystal display unit as shown in FIG. 2 is suited for combination with a desk type device such as the aforementioned desk type electronic game device, it is not suitable for combination with a handy type electronic game device.
In addition to the problem of the large size of the entire unit in external appearance, there is a further disadvantage with respect to the structure of connection with an internal electronic circuit. More specifically, the structure for connection between the liquid crystal display panel 15 and an electronic circuit for supplying electric signals thereto requires that the liquid crystal display panel 15 be provided on both sides 17 and 18 with spaces for containing connecting wires. As hereinabove described, the liquid crystal display panel 15 is so arranged as to transmit the light. Therefore, the above described connection structure further requires that a printed circuit connection to front and rear sides 15a and 15b of the liquid crystal display panel 15, particularly a printed circuit connection to the front side 15a be led to be connected to an electronic circuit arranged in, e.g., the lower portion within the housing 11 through the areas by the both sides 17 and 18 of the liquid crystal display panel 15 so as not to obstruct the light transmitted through the liquid crystal display panel 15. Thus, the housing 11 had to be structured with relatively large room for the both sides 17 and 18, such that the width w.sub.2 of the entire housing 11 is considerably larger than the width w.sub.1 of the liquid crystal display panel 15. Therefore, the entire unit is inevitably made large-sized also in this point of view, and the liquid crystal display unit could hardly be applied to a handy type device.